Santa Ana council candidates square off at debate

Connect-to-Council and the League of Women Voters-Central Orange County sponsored a debate for Santa Ana City Council and mayoral candidates Wednesday at the Rancho Santiago Community College District headquarters.RON GONZALES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SANTA ANA – Nearly all candidates in the Santa Ana City Council and mayoral elections turned out for a debate Wednesday, providing more than 100 people who attended a glimpse into the issues the candidates will emphasize as the election nears.

The candidates were invited to make opening and closing statements, and were asked a series of questions, related to business, development, neighborhoods and code enforcement, disaster preparedness, and pension reform.

Underlying the discussion was the need to create jobs and encourage business in the wake of an economy that has stalled, and in the case of the mayor's race, the city's leadership.

"I have a question for you," said Councilman David Benavides, who is among five candidates challenging the mayor. "Are you okay with the status quo? Has our city reached its potential?"

He pointed to its history, its more than 60 neighborhood groups and to business that have invested in the city during the weak economy.

While Benavides hammered at the need for change in the mayor's office, Mayor Miguel Pulido repeatedly reminded the audience of the progress the city has made in its safety, its cultural life and in its business development.

"I see a great city," he said. "I see a city that's come a long way from where we were, and I see a city that continues to progress."

Connect-to-Council and the League of Women Voters-Central Orange County sponsored the debate at the Rancho Santiago Community College District headquarters.

Some of the most spirited moments in the debate came when Benavides hit on the issue of leadership, and the need for change. The incumbent has been mayor since 1992, and was first elected to the council six years before that.

"When someone has been in office for a quarter of a century," Benavides said, "there is a grip hold that the person is able to have on the city, on our operations, and when there are creative new solutions that are brought forward, they are not taken up..."

Pulido called on the audience to call to mind the city's progress, including projects he's worked on such as the Discovery Science Center, the Orange County High School of the Arts and the Artists Village.

"I am proud to run on my record and talk about all the progress that's occurred in the city," he said. "And the fact that there's so much vision and so much love and so much interest is a testament to that success."

Candidates were also asked to address business and development.

Benavides said Santa Ana needs to brand itself, just as Anaheim has branded itself as a resort, as a place to shop and do business.

He said he wants to create a business task force to create a voice for business, and, with the loss of redevelopment agencies, said he wants to work with business groups to see how the city can tap into resources that will help businesses expand. He called for a five-year plan.

Pulido pointed out that the city now has 16,000 business licenses, and talked of his work to bring auto dealerships to the city.

"What we have to do is continue to create an environment where we can get out of the way of businesses at times so they can thrive even more," he said.

Connect-to-Council and the League of Women Voters-Central Orange County sponsored a debate for Santa Ana City Council and mayoral candidates Wednesday at the Rancho Santiago Community College District headquarters. RON GONZALES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Connect-to-Council and the League of Women Voters-Central Orange County sponsored a debate for Santa Ana City Council and mayoral candidates Wednesday at the Rancho Santiago Community College District headquarters. Left to right are mayoral candidates Lupe Moreno, Councilman David Benavides, Mayor Miguel Pulido and Miguel Angel Briseno. RON GONZALES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Connect-to-Council and the League of Women Voters-Central Orange County sponsored a debate for Santa Ana City Council and mayoral candidates Wednesday at the Rancho Santiago Community College District headquarters. Left to right are council candidates Karina Onofre, Councilman Vincent Sarmiento, Roman A. Reyna, Charles Hart, Brett Elliott Franklin, Shane Ramon Barrows and Eric M. Alderete. RON GONZALES, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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